StarCraft 2 Sequel Gets Release Date

We finally know when ‘Heart of the Swarm’ will be launching.

StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty launched back in 2010, as the first part of a planned trilogy of titles. Sadly, we haven’t heard much about when its sequel, Heart of the Swarm, would be hitting shelves. That is until today.

Activision and Blizzard have announced that players can expect StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm to hit PC on March 12, 2013. The game features a new campaign continuing the story from Wings of Liberty, as well as several new multiplayer units and features that “enhance the acclaimed StarCraft 2 online experience.”

Additionally, you have multiple options when buying the game. You can pick up the game as the standard retail edition for $39.99; the Digital Deluxe edition straight from Blizzard for $59.99; or, you can buy the Collector’s Edition for $79.99. The contents of both the Digital Deluxe and Collector’s Edition are shown below.

Digital Deluxe:

StarCraft II Torrasque: Crush the enemies of the Swarm with the indomitable Torrasque, a fearsome new look for your zerg Ultralisks.

StarCraft II Battle.net® Portraits and Decals: New Swarm-infested Battle.net portraits and decals help you customize the look of your online profile and in-game army.

World of Warcraft® In-Game Pet: The Baneling companion pet is bursting with enthusiasm and ready to explode onto the Pet Battles scene.

Diablo® III Blade Wings and Banner Sigil: Grow zerg-like wings in honor of the Queen of Blades, and unfurl an exclusive banner sigil to mark your allegiance to the Swarm in Sanctuary.

Collector’s Edition:

The Collector's Edition of Heart of the Swarm includes the full version of the game on DVD-ROM and contains the following exclusive bonus items, in addition to the content from the Digital Deluxe version:

Behind-the-Scenes DVD and Blu-ray: Immerse yourself in the StarCraft universe with developer commentary, interviews with voice actors, and an in-depth historical retrospective on StarCraft's eSports legacy narrated by key members of the community.

Collector's Edition Soundtrack CD: Enhance your Heart of the Swarm musical experience with this collection of more than a dozen tracks from the game.

Heart of the Swarm Hardcover Art Book: This 144-page tome features never-before-seen art from the expansion, including early concept sketches and meticulous 3D renderings.

Zerg Rush Mousepad: This Collector's Edition mousepad depicts the Terran Dominion holding out desperately under the onslaught of the Swarm.

Erik Norris is the Gaming Editor for CraveOnline. You can follow him on Twitter @Regular_Erik.